Perks

No matter where you are stationed, consider this your “bucket list” of military benefits to live the “Jelly Side Up” life – make sure you’ve checked them out and off!

Financial Perks
Experience Perks
Travel Perks
Career Perks
Misc Perks
Random Military Things I’ve Learned The Hard Way

American Express Credit Cards ($1,000+ value) – AmEx offers 11 different credit cards that waive annual fees for military members, so do your own research about which one is right for you. However, the most popular one is definitely the AmEx Platinum. Here are some of the current benefits of getting this card (specific benefits may change, so again, check it out yourself!):

  • $695 annual fee waived automatically, no need to do anything except apply
  • 80,000 Membership Rewards Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership – points can be used for a million things, but the best value seems to be transferring to hotel points and flight miles
  • $200 back in statement credits each year on bookings through AmEx’s hotel offerings
  • $20 back in statement credits each month for streaming services, such as Disney+, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
  • $15 in Uber Cash for US rides each month, plus a bonus $20 in December
  • $200 Airline Fee Credit at (1) qualifying airline of your choice to use towards in-flight purchases and more each year
  • $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit and $120 Global Entry statement credit to allow you to register for these services
  • Complimentary access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection at airports across the country
  • $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership credit for grocery delivery and more
  • $50 Saks Fifth Avenue credit every 6 months

I love this card, and there is no hassle – you just see the reimbursements on your statement. HOWEVER – If both you and your spouse have a card, often times the benefits or offers ONLY apply to the service member’s card (this endlessly annoys me why they can’t issue a card with the same number like other credit card companies do). Hence why our fridge is filled with a lot of Hello Fresh meals that I thought would be FREE for a current promotion, but since I used MY card instead of my husband’s, AmEx wouldn’t apply the free credit for the promotion they were running. When in doubt, always use the service member’s card.

Cellular Discounts – Check with your carrier today and make sure you are getting a military discount. Most of the major companies offer one. Sometimes it magically disappears, and if you are on auto-payments, you may not even notice. Typically it is only about $10/month, but hey, that adds up!

Chase Credit Cards ($800+ value) – Chase is another company that waives annual credit card fees for service members. They have around 15 different cards, but the Sapphire Reserve is the most popular among credit card point enthusiasts. Here are some of the current benefits of getting this card (specific benefits may change, so again, check it out yourself!):

  • $550 annual fee waived
  • 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases
  • Priority Pass lounge and restaurant access at 1300+ airport lounges worldwide
  • $120 application fee credit for Global Entry every 4 years

Child Care Aware – A subsidy program that makes child care / preschool more affordable for military families. The catch – both spouses must be working and you will have to show proof that there are no slots available at the closest military childcare provider (this isn’t difficult given that on-post options are notoriously hard to get into!). Subsidy amounts vary by what child care costs are currently at your installation, the school’s tuition, your total family income, and other variables, but can help save hundreds to THOUSANDS of dollars in annual childcare costs. There is a ton of upfront paperwork, but if you are willing to put in the time, you can save an incredible amount of money.

Citi Credit Cards ($95+ value) – Citi is another company that waives annual credit card fees for service members. They have around 5 different cards, but the Strata Premier is the most popular among credit card point enthusiasts. Here are some of the current benefits of getting this card (specific benefits may change, so again, check it out yourself!): $95 annual fee waived for military members, 70,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening, and more!

Credit Card Annual Fees – AmEx, Chase, Citi, and U.S. Bank are currently credit card companies that waive annual fees for military members, and they are highlighted in this section. However, rules, regulations, and benefits are always changing, so make sure to contact your company and see if they will waive any fees. In addition if you are looking to get into the points/credit card hobby, there is a whole “strategy” involved in which card to open first to maximize points – 10xTravel and Military Money Manual are great resources.

Dependent Care FSA – This Flexible Spending Account helps you to lower your taxable income by setting aside money you are already planning to spend (up to $5K annually) on child care and other dependent care costs (it covers fees for preschool, nanny, camp, and more!). How it works: A set amount of money will be deducted from the service member’s paycheck each month, you will submit a claim once there is an expense, and then you will choose to be reimbursed to your bank account or have the dependent care provider paid directly. Doesn’t save you money immediately, but will lower the amount of taxes you owe. To note: you must open this account during open enrollment in Nov/Dec or if you have a “qualifying life event” (birth, move, etc).

Family Separation Allowance – If your spouse is on a deployment or TDY that lasts longer than 30 days, you are eligible for a family separation allowance of $250 per month, in addition to any other allowance or per diem. While this is usually automatically included with deployment pay, you may need to track yourself for TDY and reach out if you are not seeing the benefit included.

Financial Planning – Military OneSource certified financial counselors are available in person, over the phone and via video to teach finance basics, help evaluate programs and plans, negotiate with creditors, educate about various military savings programs, and more. MilTax also provides FREE tax prep and filing software tailored for military life and comes with personalized support from tax consultants trained in military-specific tax situations.

Health Care FSA – This Flexible Savings Account also helps you to lower your taxable income by setting aside money you are already planning to spend (up to $3,300 annually) for “eligible medical, dental and vision care expenses.” But I have TRICARE and I don’t pay for anything anyway, right? I had the same thought. However, you can use money from your HCFSA to pay for things like over-the-counter medicines, wellness services such as chiropractic care, acupuncture and massage; copayments; dental care; orthodontia; and eyeglasses, contact lenses and vision services. Unlike the Dependent Care FSA, the full amount you elect to contribute is available to you as soon as the plan year begins on Jan 1. Again, doesn’t save you money immediately, but will lower the amount of taxes you owe. To note: you must open this account during open enrollment in Nov/Dec or if you have a “qualifying life event” (birth, move, etc).

ID.me – This site allows you to easily prove that you are a member of the military community and to apply discounts automatically when shopping online. You can shop directly on their website or add an extension to your browser.

MilTax Tax Prep– Provides FREE tax prep and filing software tailored for military life and comes with personalized support from tax consultants trained in military-specific tax situations.

Notary Services – Check out your installation’s Legal Assistance Office to schedule a FREE notary for things like wills, power of attorney, etc.

Shopping Discounts – One of the most obvious of the military benefits! The list of companies is ever-changing, so if shopping in person, ask if they offer a military rate, and if shopping online, always check the retailer’s website for military discount offerings (Tip: literally google something such as “Apple military discount” vs. just poking around a company’s website, since this info is often hidden or hard to find). Also, make sure to register for ID.me and GOV.X to make it super easy! This has helped my family save money on everything from buying a car to groceries and everything in between! Here are just some of the most popular discounts:

  • Apple
  • Crocs
  • Lowes & Home Depot
  • Lululemon
  • Marriott Hotels & Resorts
  • Microsoft
  • North Face
  • Old Navy
  • Regal Cinemas
  • Sweetgreen
  • Yeti

U. S. Bank ($400+ value) – U.S. Banks is another company that waives certain annual credit card fees for service members. Make sure you are getting this benefit if you are a customer or check out their current offerings here.

VA Loan –  A loan for military members *only* that can be used to buy, build, improve, or refinance a home. In layman’s terms: instead of saving up $50K, $100K or whatever you need to buy a house, you can buy a house for $0 down payment. In addition, interest rates are typically lower than a typical lender (ex. a VA Loan might charge 5% interest on monthly payments, while a traditional lender charges 6%). The catch – there is a fee for using a VA Loan, which typically ranges from 1-3% of the total loan amount and – as with anything in the military – there’s some logistics and bureaucracy to work through. However, you can wrap the cost of the VA Funding Fee into your loan (ie. still put $0 down) AND the VA Funding Fee decreases if you have money saved to use towards the down payment. Amazing benefit.

Birdies for the Brave – This nonprofit works with local PGA tournaments to provide free tickets, hospitality areas, caddie opportunities and more to service members. While you have to contact each local PGA tournament for specific details, check out the org as a starting point.

Blue Star Museums – Get FREE admission to 2,000 museums, zoos, nature centers, etc across the country from May – September.

Epic Pass ($800+ value) – Currently, active duty military personnel and their families may purchase an all-season unlimited-access ski pass to all Epic ski resorts for $172/person (while the regular pass is $1000+!) It also offers military personnel and their families discounts on food, lodging, lessons, rentals, and more. Check the website for veteran and other military offers.

Headspace ($99 value) – By registering with Blue Star Neighborhood (FREE), get access to Headspace, a meditation and mindfulness app that helps you live a healthier, happier, more well-rested life.

Mango ($144 value) – Learn a new language for FREE, using the DoD library site.

MasterClass ($120 value) – By registering with Blue Star Neighborhood (FREE), get access to one of 5,000 FREE MasterClass subscriptions through December 31st, 2025 with unlimited access to hundreds of instructors and classes across various subjects.

MWR – You can rent everything from a popcorn machine to a bounce house to a kayak to a camping trailer for suuuuuper cheap. You’ll want to find the webpage / Facebook page for your specific installation, but here is a general link to Army MWR & Navy MWR.

National Park Pass ($80 value) – Next time you are visiting a national park, stop in to the Visitor Center to pick up a FREE annual or lifetime park pass. (Note: you can also order online for $10 w/ multi-week delivery, but it takes less than 5 minutes to get on-site).

Spiritune ($299 value) – By registering with Blue Star Neighborhood (FREE), get access to Spiritune, which combines principles of music therapy and neuroscience to help you feel great, focus better, and relax easily.

The Swell Score ($99 value) – By registering with Blue Star Neighborhood (FREE), get a free membership and access to exclusive discounts on ultra-clean, carefully vetted beauty and wellness product.

Thrive Market ($99 value) – By registering with Blue Star Neighborhood (FREE), get a membership to Thrive Market, an online shopping club that offers the world’s best-selling natural and organic products for up to 50% off.

Trees for Troops – Most installations host a holiday event in partnership with local companies to give away trees to service members. This nonprofit’s website has a searchable list, but info is always changing so research your local base come December for specific event details.

Vet Tix – Create an account to view FREE and discount event ticket opportunities.

Waves of Honor – Offers FREE and discounted tickets to various theme parks (Sea World, Busch Gardens, Sesame Place, etc) throughout the year, across the country.

Airline Deals – Make sure you are getting free checked luggage (and sometimes even flight discounts)! Some airlines only technically offer free bags for active duty on orders, but if you mention you are military, most of the time, humans are kind.

American Forces Travel – Hailed as the “official joint services MWR leisure travel website” this Priceline-esque product is an “ok” starting point, but it appears you can find greater discounts by doing some more leg work and research yourself. If you are not someone who enjoy travel research or bargain hunting, this may be a clear choice! But if you are like me and enjoy the chase, just use it as a reference point for prices, then go to individual sites to see if you can get a better deal.

Armed Forces Recreation Center Resorts – Or, AFRCs since the military must have an acronym for everything. If you are traveling to Hawaii, Germany, Korea or Disney World – CHECK THESE OUT! These resorts book up far in advance because they are an amazing opportunity to save hundreds (thousands?!) on resort lodging.

DoD Lodging – Not always the most glamorous option, but sometimes you just need a cheap and decent place to stay, often times with free breakfast, parking, and fitness facilities. DoD Lodging is typically used more for official military travel (like PCS or TDY), but is open for leisure travel when available. See “MWR Recreational Lodging” below for more interesting leisure travel accommodations.

Information, Tickets and Travel Program – Referred to as ITT. In my personal military experience, this “perk” is somewhat frustrating as you have to travel on post to visit their office in person, hours are typically wonky, and usually ticket and travel discounts end up being less or equal to what you can find online….BUT if you are willing to put in the in-person time, you can find some gems! Find your local office at the link above, figure out when you can meet a human there, and ask them to share all of their offerings. My dream job is to have an online one-stop shop that shares all these opportunities with military families, so consider this page my personal “Jelly Side Up” shop 🙂

  • Disney World – ITT offices are typically the place where you will go to purchase major Disney World discounts. Important note: there are entire Facebook groups devoted to Disney tickets, tips, and tricks, so there are tons of resources if you have Disney in your future!

MWR Recreational Lodging – MWR recreational lodging is available at a wide variety of locations and military members have access to any branch’s lodging accommodations. They include waterfront cabins, multi-bedroom cottages, and offer a host of other amenities such as kayaks, paddleboards, bicycles, and various other rentals. The four most famous / popular resorts in Hawaii, Korea, Florida, and Germany are managed through Armed Forces Recreation Center Resorts. However, there are a ton of other great and unique (and affordable!) options, if you are willing to take the time and research – unfortunately, there is not a single portal which lists all of accommodation options for each branch in one place). Check out Poppin Smoke for a deep dive on traveling via MWR lodging.

Here are a few MWR Recreational Lodging highlights outside of the 4 major resorts in in Hawaii, Korea, Florida, and Germany:

Paths Across America – Find DOD campgrounds and RV sites throughout the U.S.

Space Available Travel – Service members and their families can use “Space A” to travel around the country and world at little to no cost on military aircraft. Though sometimes unpredictable, military flights are perfect for families with flexible plans and limited travel budgets. Flights are typically free of charge, but call to confirm any taxes or fees. I have never used this, but seems amazing if you have the flexibility. Check out this webpage from a fellow military spouse with great resources for how to travel using Space A and MWR recreational lodging: Poppin Smoke

TSA Precheck – Use your DoD ID # in the ‘Known Traveler Number’ section when booking flights to get TSA Precheck!

There are a gazillion different career programs for military members, spouses, veterans, and more. Talk to the experts at the following resources: Blue Star Families, MyCAA, Military OneSource, and more!

GI Bill – One of the oldest and most valuable “perks” of being in the military, the GI Bill helps not only pay for school or training but also helps to cover expenses while you’re at it. You can also transfer the benefit to your spouse or children. I believe most people are aware of this benefit, so we’ll leave it at that!

LinkedIn – Activity duty service members are eligible for a FREE LinkedIn Premium account. Military spouses and veterans are eligible for one year as well.

Ancestry.com ($244 value) – Access genealogy records for FREE, using the DoD library site.

Auto Skills Centers – Provides all the tools and equipment needed to perform auto services for a minimal hourly or flat fee – a fraction of the cost of off-post mechanics! Many also offer inspections, car washes, and instruction too. I just learned that this is a thing – kicking myself that we have yet to utilize this!

Counseling – Military OneSource counselors are available for free, short-term, solution-focused, confidential counseling services for a wide range of issues, including relationship conflicts, stress management, parenting issues, coping with grief and loss, and managing deployments. Services are not reported and will not affect your or your spouse’s career or security clearance. That means you can receive counseling without anyone’s knowledge, including your partner or chain of command.

Libraries – Why is no one talking about how amazing this resource is?! By registering online with your DoD ID, you get FREE access to a TON of cool things – ebooks and audio books (Libby, EBSCO, etc), newspaper and magazine subscriptions (WSJ, National Geographic, etc), continuing education (O’Reilly, Tutor.com, Mango Languages), geaneology (ancestry.com, Fold3, etc), kids resources (Scholastic, Nat Geo Kids, etc) and so. much. more. Check it out.

Legal Assistance – Military OneSource offers a host of legal assistance services such as understanding a lease agreement, creating an estate plan, seeking legal guidance on adoption, and more. Also, each installation’s Legal Assistance Office can provide assistance, as well as a notary for things like wills, power of attorney, etc.

Random Military Things I’ve Learned The Hard Way

Below is a list of helpful military “stuff” that I’ve learned along the way (and am continuing to learn!) that I wish someone shared with me – particularly when I became a new spouse and then again when we had our first child. It is by no means a complete or comprehensive list (and may be somewhat basic for the more experienced military peeps out there!), so please comment below if you have something to add that might help others!

Commissary – Don’t forget to bring a tip for the baggers (this is the only salary they receive)! Also, commissaries are usually closed on Mondays. I always forget this which is unfortunate because I always grocery shop on Mondays.

DEERS – Children under age 10 must be entered into DEERS but do not need an ID card. Kids over age 10 do need an ID card. See more here. Newborns and newly adopted children are automatically enrolled in DEERS and then Tricare for a 60 day “grace period”, but then you must make sure to officially re-enroll them in both DEERS and Tricare after 60 days to continue both financial and healthcare benefits. We didn’t realize this, and it became a giant P in the A. Do not forget to re-enroll your kids after the 60-day grace period or you will sincerely regret it!

Housing – Below is a list of websites that are geared towards finding off-post military housing. If you ever have a short training or career course, we’ve found that bargaining with VRBO / AirBnB owners is usually successful for finding a shorter-term place to stay. Owners have always been willing to negotiate with us – BAH is usually more than they would make on their monthly weekend rentals but cheaper than their nightly rate. We were able to stay in a dreamy wood cabin on a river in Alaska during off season this way!

Pharmacies – For off-base pharmacy options, Giant, Safeway, and Walgreens currently accept Tricare. CVS does not. Always double check before putting in a prescription for the first time to make sure it is covered by TRICARE or you will be sorry. Click HERE for a list of in-network pharmacies. You may also use the Express Rx mobile app. 

Military Spouse Residency Relief Act (MSRRA) – According to the MSRRA, spouses can maintain legal residence in a state even after moving away as long as the sole reason they moved from that state was PCSing with their service member. This exempts them from state income tax in the state where they are stationed (although they will have to pay taxes to the state where they DO claim residency). Residency / voting / taxes / licenses / car registrations are tricky and many laws change by state – we wasted thousands of dollars thinking we had to become residents at our new duty station since we purchased a house there. So make sure to do your research. (At the time of writing this, we live in MD, our residency is in NM, we vote in MD/NM, I work for a company in HI, we own a house in MD, have a license from VA/NM, and car registrations from MD/LA – not great. So, do as the experts say, and not as I do. It’s hard to adult sometimes, especially to military-adult.)

Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) – Get out of the G fund! There are a ton of reasons why you should sign up to contribute to a TSP, but that’s for another subject matter expert. However, important note that we learned the hard way: When you begin contributing to a TSP, it automatically defaults to the “G” fund. This is a “safe” fund and considered very low risk. For someone who is young and will have many years of investing ahead, they should typically select a different fund that is higher risk, which usually leads to bigger returns in the long run. TSP money can be kinda invisible since it it deducted from the service member’s paycheck, so make sure to double check what fund you are contributing to if you haven’t checked in awhile…you might be missing out on thousands – yes THOUSANDS – of dollars (GRR! Why didn’t we check this sooner?!). Here’s more info about the various funds.

TRICARE – Don’t think I need to go into much detail here since everyone is well aware of TRICARE, but I didn’t realize for quite some time that there are three options for spouses enrolling: 1) TRICARE Prime, 2) TRICARE Select, and 3) US Family Health Plan / Johns Hopkins. (There is no choice for active duty military personnel – all active duty military are automatically in TRICARE Prime). I didn’t realize for far too long that I had options. Check them all out and do your research.

A few important notes for those new to the military:

  • As a spouse, once you are enrolled in DEERS, you will need to complete additional paperwork to enroll in a health care plan of your choice (alas, we thought enrolling in DEERS = enrolling in TRICARE. Not so.).
  • Choose your plan wisely, because once you enroll in one of the programs, you are stuck with that option until the next open enrollment period (typically each November) or if there is a significant life changing event like having a baby or moving (see full list of “qualifying life events” here).

And my favorite recent hack since I am currently less than pleased with our current Tricare Prime situation on post:

  • For Tricare Prime, for some specialties, if there’s a wait of more than 28 days to get an appointment, you can call the referral line to go out of network for FREE.

United Concordia – Spouses and dependents have the option to purchase the TRICARE Dental Program (contracted out through United Concordia) and are seen by civilian providers off-base. The monthly cost is pretty minimal and comes out of the service member’s paycheck. (Active Duty service members are covered by active duty dental benefits).

Important note for those new to the military:

  • Just because you are enrolled in DEERS and in TRICARE, does NOT mean you are enrolled in Dental. You will also need to enroll yourself (and any other dependents) separately in dental care.

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